There she was.
Sitting in garden with all her desk set there, Nandini was all engrossed in her work. It was a sunny day so who won't seek some warm sunshine. But that wasn't what we can point out as unusual. It was Manik sitting with a book in hand at some distance. Nandini glared him through pile of files and he just turned his back to her pretending to read his book. Nandini narrowed her eyes then shook her head. It was plain stupid of Manik choosing to sit right in front of her desk and then pretend like he was least interested to even notice her. A bunch of handsome officers passed her desk giving her amorous smiles, she just tried not to stare rudely. After all, they were rank holders and she couldn't deny they all looked sinfully hot. Manik's eyes followed them till the time they disappeared. He again got busy in his book and Nandini tried not to kill him for behaving unreasonable.
"So how's watchdog doing?" A manly voice drew Manik's attention. He saw Daadu with an attendant who was unfolding the chair for him.
"Who's the watchdog here?" Manik asked straightening himself.
"Of course not you, my boy," Daadu quipped and asked attendant to serve tea.
"Don't you have classes today?" He asked while Manik read the same paragraph again for nth time.
"I had," Manik said nodding his head trying to look thoughtful, "But I was feeling a bit sick so I am taking off."
"Oh," Daadu exclaimed pretending to buy his story and said, "What else can be more curing than sunshine?"
Manik didn't answer but keep posturing as if book had something very interesting to read.
"By the way, already she had packed our car with roses and bouquets," Daadu shared the piece of information.
"Who she?" Manik asked raising his brow looking very occupied.
"My dead wife," Daadu gagged and Manik looked horrified.
"Of course Nandini, you idiot," Daadu added.
"Oh," Manik said and then asked, "Who would give that wild cat flowers and why?"
"Because she is apparently hot topic in academy and every boy wants to go to ball with her," Daadu informed with a coy smile.
"What?" Manik got on his knees.
"When did guys ask her out?" He asked as if he had missed a very important detail.
"Did she say yes to anyone? Did she say yes to Harshad? I am telling you Daadu, Harshad is my friend but he is not a good guy for girls," He blurted out in panic in one go making Daadu chuckle.
"Calm down, Manik," He said trying not to laugh more, "She hadn't said yes."
"But she would say yes to someone eventually," He added.
"You cannot ask her for ball just by making sure no one asks her out," Daadu taunted and Manik's face went red as if he had been caught red handed.
"I was not gonna ask her for ball," He stated plainly, "She isn't my types."
"Then why are you glued here since morning?" Daadu asked taking him offhand.
"Because it's good place to enjoy sunlight," He put casually.
"Oh then lemme just tell Harshad that he should ask Nandini out because it was such waste of time threatening him to stay away from my granddaughter," Daadu sighed aloud in disappointment.
"You did what," Manik asked closing the book with evident elation in tone.
"I threatened him," Daadu told a bit hesitant.
"You are awesome," Manik exclaimed with a grin.
"But what's the point?" Daadu said faking sadness.
"Now another dickhead would ask my granddaughter and knowing her she would definitely pick the worst one just to kick him in gut later," Daaadu showed his fake concern.
Manik seemed scared, then thoughtful and finally confused.
"I think I would ask her if she wanna come along," Manik stated nervously, "You know just for your sake." He didn't forget to add how it was going to be a favor.
"I know how worried you would be if she goes with someone else," He clarified while his lit up face was telling another story.
"You are so great, Manik," Daadu said posing to be highly touched. Manik gave him a smile trying not to look glorified.
"I need to pee," He said and ran. Daadu saw him running like his life depended on it. He could know Manik had controlled since long.
"Such an idiot," Daadu murmured under his mustache and sipped his tea.
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Nandini saw him running and furrowed her forehead. She saw Daadu smiling to himself and walked to him.
"Why that idiot was here since morning?" She asked while Daadu looked elated about something very private to him.
"He was just worried," Daadu said hiding his elation.
"Worried?" Nandini asked crossing her arms.
"Yeah, you know how he is," Daadu said clicking his lips.
"Poor lad doesn't have a date for ball and knowing his skills with girls, I doubt he would go to ball at all," Daadu told faking a concern.
Nandini seemed lost in what Daadu had said.
"It's better he doesn't come and dance. Last time, he almost had broken bones of that poor girl," She mocked and laughed.
"Poor guy," Daadu sympathized just to make Nandini buy his story.
"Even now, he ran away after telling his sad story," Daadu said diving in pool of fake emotions.
"Does he really wanna go to ball?" Nandini asked this time a bit serious.
"Who won't. After all he is just a boy," Daadu said entwining his fingers.
Nandini looked at the way where Manik had gone still lost in her mind.
"I was thinking," Daadu started but got interrupted by Nandini.
"Don't worry. I will take care of it," She said with a wink and walked back to her desk.
Daadu rubbed his palms in glee as his plan was working.
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Nandini was walking towards shooting range after steeplechase class as it was almost a decade now since she had attended Manik's class besides she had something in her mind.
As she took final turn towards range, a very handsome man in uniform stopped her by calling her name. She turned around to see that beautiful face smiling to her. She returned the smile and that guy stopped right in front of her panting hard trying to catch his breaths.
Manik was loading the gun wearing his gloves and eye gear. He looked at door one more time totally skeptical about if she would come or not. He took a deep breath thinking about how he was going to ask her out.
"You can, Manik," He murmured to himself and took a shot. As echo of his gunshot subsided, he heard sound of her boots and he smiled. Wearing his favorite face of being constipated, he turned around to see her walking towards him. Had she started to look gorgeous these days or his eyes had caught infection? He thought to himself and then shook his head to come out of stupid zone.
"So you came," He said raising his brow while she just picked the gloves and started to wear them. She looked at him intensely and he could feel his heartbeats pacing. He had never noticed she had such big beautiful eyes. She molded her lips to form her famous smirk and picked the gun up.
"I thought you would be missing bossing me around," She quipped and he shook his head smiling.
"So where were we?" She asked joining him at stand.
"Here," He told looking deep into her eyes while she tried not to look at him.
She sighed deep and took her stance. He just kept looking at her while she took the shot. It as expected didn't hit the bulls-eye, not even close and she looked upset about it.
"I hate this sport," She murmured and got ready to take another shot.
"Like I hate horse-riding," He added and she took another shot which was a miss again.
"You just can't handle a thing with brain," She commented while he walked to her side. Nearing her, he stood right behind her.
"I just don't like when my weapon has a mind. I like when I am in control," He murmured in her ear making her flinched a bit.
"May I?" He asked as he sought permission to hold her hand to tell her right posture.
She nodded confidently yet a bit fidgety. He slid his hands across her arm taking his time while his eyes didn't leave her face for a second. She took a deep breath before he could take control.
"That's why I hate this practice," She mumbled making him all sort of uneasy, "It is all about taming yourself."
"And you love to tame animals, don't you?" He whispered in her ear holding her hands to his desired angle with gun in them.
He took her arms to his desired position and swiftly gripped her finger under his just above the trigger. Pressing it at once, they both waited to see the hit. It had hit better than her previous attempts.
"I love to know them. I love to tame men though," She remarked turning her head towards his face still standing in same position.
He felt her sweet breath on his lips and that was something very electric. He couldn't make out if he liked it or loved it. He certainly felt something very tingling.
"Huh haa," He exclaimed trying to sound impressed.
"Yes," she whispered letting her hot breath making it husky. He looked away sighing deep as if trying to absorb something. She walked out of his broad frame and put the gun back at table.
"You coming to ball?" She asked taking him out of his very strange zone. He was behaving strange if Nandini was asked. He was all of sudden something she couldn't be taking casually. It was like he was trying to enter her skull and she didn't know how to take such Manik.
"I am," He answered confidently making Nandini doubtful about what Daadu was saying.
"I think I have found a date," He said tucking his hands in pocket.
"Oh," Nandini mouth formed 'O' as she tried not to look surprised.
"Who is the unlucky girl?" She asked trying to get back.
"She is kinda mad but not unlucky," Manik defended halfheartedly.
When they were knitting their own weird web of conversation, that same handsome officer walked in making Nandini smile and Manik frown. Manik saluted him even when he was planning to kill him in mind. He gestured him to ease down and Manik relaxed.
"So?" Officer asked Nandini with hopeful eyes.
Nandini looked at Manik who was looking life-sucked and then at excited officer.
Manik shook his head looking at Nandini giving her illegible warnings. She couldn't understand a thing.
"Raghav," Nandini took his name and then hesitated to talk in front of Manik. She walked to Raghav and they both walked out of arena leaving a baffled Manik behind.
Manik walked from one end to another losing calories expecting Nandini to give him an explanation which she didn't owe to him. He saw her entering the arena with a smile holding a flower. Manik looked like kicked puppy who has just been kicked by a bad kid. His frown was worst than a two year old. Nandini walked to him and saw him standing there with a face hung low. Grin from her face faded away and she asked him what's the issue.
"How could you?" He cribbed like a kid.
"How could I what?" She asked while playing with the flower in her hand. Manik saw that flower with utmost hatred as if his eyes could put that on fire.
"Now blurt it out. You are looking like a heartbroken girl," Nandini took him out of his ninja thoughts.
Snatching flower from her hand, he tore the flower in pieces. Nandini could just gape with open mouth. He looked at her with a vengeful face while her nostrils flared in anger.
"YOUUU," She yelled and ran to hit him. He held her arms in air and both wrestled to take the charge. Wrestling that wild cat to corner, he pinned her to the wall. Seeing her all helpless under his grip, he felt like calling a referee who would count till three and declare him winner.
"You rude...heart..less... inconsiderate idiot," She spewed in his face.
"Why did you destroy that lovely flower?" She asked wriggling under his grip. Her wrists were firmly captured under his hands and pinned to wall. She raised her leg to hit him in crotch but he blocked her by his knee.
"You shouldn't have warned me last night," He told enjoying her struggle.
"You cannot go with that Raghav," He declared and she narrowed her eyes in confusion.
"What are you talking about?" She asked while he looked all in control.
"You are coming with me to ball and that's final," He announced and looked peaceful.
"Who says so?" She asked wearing a confident smile.
"I say so," He said making his brows dance.
"You are not going with that Raghav," He repeated and looked damn serious.
"Who told you I was going with that Raghav?" She asked all baffled.
His content flew out of window and he looked mistaken all of sudden. It was like he had just done happy dance and referee had declared him as disqualified.
"You were planning to go with Raghav, weren't you?" He asked she rolled her eyes.
"And he just asked you and you accepted by taking this ugly flower?" He asked totally fumbling, waiting for her to confirm.
She just kept staring him enraged and he knew he was gone.
"You weren't going with him?" He asked in small voice and she got out of his grip which had softened to great extent.
"No, I wasn't," She said pushing him a bit. He looked at her freed hands and that was it. He ran as hard he could around the arena while she chased him.
"It was you who was going with some girl," She said throwing her gloves at him.
"I was taking you," He confessed and she stopped her chase.
"And you were telling me that instead of asking??" She said with her hands on her waist.
"Because..." He fidgeted with words, "Because I thought you should be going with me," He stated fumbling making Nandini more angry.
"And why did you think so?" She asked sternly.
"Because Raghav isn't a good guy," He answered and sighed finding right excuse.
"Oh really? I wasn't going with him anyway. I was thinking to take you, Princess. But now, I have changed my mind," She said picking her stuff.
Manik smiled, felt happy and then frowned realizing what did she say as last part.
"WHYY?" He asked shouting making her still in her place.
"Because you are so stupid, Manik," She said walking out with apparent irritation.
"Why you wanted to go with me?" He asked following her.
She didn't answer but keep walking.
"Tell na?" He almost pleaded.
"Because It's better to take you rather than all those dickheads who just want to take me to bed by end of night," She said and started to walk towards her office. It was almost dark and she needed to leave for home.
Manik smiled biting his lips and then almost blushed. She had gained a lead meanwhile he was all engulfed in being elated about facts best known to him.
"And now? You would come with me, right?" He asked catching her as well as his breath.
"No," She denied and kept walking.
"Why?? See, I am sorry," He said almost sulking.
"You want me to come with you?" She asked picking her stuff from her cabin.
He nodded like greedy child.
"Then Ask me properly," She said inching up to meet his eyes.
"Ask me like I am girl and you are the man wanting me to be your date," She put her condition confidently. He seemed be to drown in pool of her weird set of words. He didn't know what to react.
"If you can do that and that too rightly, I will come," She said and smiled teasingly. He heard her leaving the room while he stood there all shocked and bewildered how to ask a wild cat like she was a girl and he was the man.
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Unedited*